Inbred corn line G3601

ABSTRACT

Broadly this invention provides an invention which is inbred corn line G3601. The methods for producing a corn plant by crossing the inbred line G3601 are also encompassed by the invention. Additionally, the invention relates to the various parts of inbred G3601 including culturable cells. This invention relates to hybrid corn seeds and plants produced by crossing the inbred line G3601 with at least one other corn line.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention is in the field of corn breeding, specificallyrelating to an inbred corn line designated G3601. This invention also isin the field of hybrid maize production employing the present inbred.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The original maize plant was indigenous to the WesternHemisphere. The plants were weed-like and only through the efforts ofearly breeders were cultivated crop species developed. The cropcultivated by early breeders, like the crop today, could be windpollinated. The physical traits of maize are such that wind pollinationresults in self-pollination or cross-pollination between plants. Eachplant has a separate male and female flower that contributes topollination, the tassel and ear, respectively. Natural pollinationoccurs when wind transfers pollen from tassel to the silks on the cornears. This type of pollination has contributed to the wide variation ofmaize varieties present in the Western Hemisphere.

[0003] The development of a planned breeding program for maize onlyoccurred in the last century. A large part of the development of themaize product into a profitable agricultural crop was due to the workdone by land grant colleges. Originally, maize was an open pollinatedvariety having heterogeneous genotypes. The maize farmer selecteduniform ears from the yield of these genotypes and preserved them forplanting the next season. The result was a field of maize plants thatwere segregating for a variety of traits. This type of maize selectionled to, at most, incremental increases in seed yield.

[0004] Large increases in seed yield were due to the work done by landgrant colleges that resulted in the development of numerous hybrid cornvarieties in planned breeding programs. Hybrids were developed byselecting corn lines and selfing these lines for several generations todevelop homozygous pure inbred lines. One selected inbred line wascrossed with another selected inbred line to produce hybrid progeny(F1). Although hybrids, due to heterosis, are robust and vigorousplants. Inbreds on the other hand are mostly homozygous. Thishomozygosity renders the inbred lines less vigorous. Inbred seed can bedifficult to produce since the inbreeding process in corn linesdecreases the vigor. However, when two inbred lines are crossed, thehybrid plant evidences greatly increased vigor and seed yield comparedto open pollinated, segregating maize plants. An important consequenceof the homozygosity and the homogenity of the inbred maize lines is thatall hybrid seed produced from any cross of two such elite lines will bethe same hybrid seed and make the same hybrid plant. Thus the use ofinbreds makes hybrid seed which can be reproduced readily. The hybridplant in contrast does not produce hybrid seed that is readilyreproducible. The seed on a hybrid plant is segregating for traits.

[0005] The ultimate objective of the commercial maize seed companies isto produce high yielding, agronomically sound plants that perform wellin certain regions or areas of the Corn Belt. To produce these types ofhybrids, the companies must develop inbreds, which carry needed traitsinto the hybrid combination. Hybrids are not often uniformly adapted forthe entire Corn Belt, but most often are specifically adapted forregions of the Corn Belt. Northern regions of the Corn Belt requireshorter season hybrids than do southern regions of the Corn Belt.Hybrids that grow well in Colorado and Nebraska soils may not flourishin richer Illinois and Iowa soil. Thus, a variety of major agronomictraits are important in hybrid combination for the various Corn Beltregions, and have an impact on hybrid performance.

[0006] Inbred line development and hybrid testing have been emphasizedin the past half-century in commercial maize production as a means toincrease hybrid performance. Inbred development is usually done bypedigree selection. Pedigree selection can be selection in an F₂population produced from a planned cross of two genotypes (often eliteinbred lines), or selection of progeny of synthetic varieties, openpollinated, composite, or backcrossed populations. This type ofselection is effective for highly inheritable traits, but other traits,for example, yield requires replicated test crosses at a variety ofstages for accurate selection.

[0007] Maize breeders select for a variety of traits in inbreds thatimpact hybrid performance along with selecting for acceptable parentaltraits. Such traits include: yield potential in hybrid combination; drydown; maturity; grain moisture at harvest; greensnap; resistance to rootlodging; resistance to stalk lodging; grain quality; disease and insectresistance; ear and plant height. Additionally, Hybrid performance willdiffer in different soil types such as low levels of organic matter,clay, sand, black, high pH, low pH; or in different environments such aswet environments, drought environments, and no tillage conditions. Thesetraits appear to be governed by a complex genetic system that makesselection and breeding of an inbred line extremely difficult. Even if aninbred in hybrid combination has excellent yield (a desiredcharacteristic), it may not be useful because it fails to haveacceptable parental traits such as seed yield, seed size, pollenproduction, good silks, plant height, etc.

[0008] To illustrate the difficulty of breeding and developing inbredlines, the following example is given. Two inbreds compared forsimilarity of 29 traits differed significantly for 18 traits between thetwo lines. If 18 simply inherited single gene traits were polymorphicwith gene frequencies of 0.5 in the parental lines, and assumingindependent segregation (as would essentially be the case if each traitresided on a different chromosome arm), then the specific combination ofthese traits as embodied in an inbred would only be expected to becomefixed at a rate of one in 262,144 possible homozygous geneticcombinations. Selection of the specific inbred combination is alsoinfluenced by the specific selection environment on many of these 18traits which makes the probability of obtaining this one inbred evenmore remote. In addition, most traits in the corn genome are regrettablynot single dominant genes but are multi-genetic with additive geneaction not dominant gene action. Thus, the general procedure ofproducing a non segregating F₁ generation and self pollinating toproduce a F₂ generation that segregates for traits and selecting progenywith the visual traits desired does not easily lead to a useful inbred.Great care and breeder expertise must be used in selection of breedingmaterial to continue to increase yield and the agronomics of inbreds andresultant commercial hybrids.

[0009] Certain regions of the Corn Belt have specific difficulties thatother regions may not have. Thus the hybrids developed from the inbredshave to have traits that overcome or at least minimize these regionalgrowing problems. Examples of these problems include in the eastern cornbelt Gray Leaf Spot, in the north cool temperatures during seedlingemergence, in the Nebraska region CLN (corn Lethal necrosis and in thewest soil that has excessively high pH levels. The industry oftentargets inbreds that address these issues specifically forming nicheproducts. However, the aim of most large seed producers is to provide anumber of traits to each inbred so that the corresponding hybrid canuseful in a broader regions of the Corn Belt. The new biotechnologytechniques such as Microsatellites, RFLPs, RAPDs and the like haveprovided breeders with additional tools to accomplish these goals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention relates to an inbred corn line G3601.Specifically, this invention relates to plants and seeds of this line.Additionally, this relates to a method of producing from this inbred,hybrid seed corn and hybrid plants with seeds from such hybrid seed.More particularly, this invention relates to the unique combination oftraits that combine in corn line G3601.

[0011] Generally then, broadly the present invention includes an inbredcorn seed designated G3601. This seed produces a corn plant.

[0012] The invention also includes the tissue culture of regenerablecells of G3601 wherein the cells of the tissue culture regeneratesplants capable of expressing the genotype of G3601. The tissue cultureis selected from the group consisting of leaves, pollen, embryos, roots,root tips, guard cells, ovule, seeds, anthers, silk, flowers, kernels,ears, cobs, husks and stalks, cells and protoplasts thereof. The cornplant regenerated from G3601 or any part thereof is included in thepresent invention. The present invention includes regenerated cornplants that are capable of expressing G3601's genotype, phenotype ormutants or variants thereof.

[0013] The invention extends to hybrid seed produced by planting, inpollinating proximity which includes using preserved maize pollen asexplained in U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,838 to Greaves, seeds of corn inbredlines G3601 and another inbred line if preserved pollen is not used;cultivating corn plants resulting from said planting; preventing pollenproduction by the plants of one of the inbred lines if two are employed;allowing cross pollination to occur between said inbred lines; andharvesting seeds produced on plants of the selected inbred. The hybridseed produced by hybrid combination of plants of inbred corn seeddesignated G3601 and plants of another inbred line are apart of thepresent invention. This inventions scope covers hybrid plants and theplant parts including the grain and pollen grown from this hybrid seed.

[0014] The invention further includes a method of hybrid F1 production.A first generation (F1) hybrid corn plant produced by the process ofplanting seeds of corn inbred line G3601; cultivating corn plantsresulting from said planting; permitting pollen from another inbred lineto cross pollinate inbred line G3601; harvesting seeds produced onplants of the inbred; and growing a harvested seed are part of themethod of this invention.

[0015] Likewise included is a first generation (F1) hybrid corn plantproduced by the process of planting seeds of corn inbred line G3601;cultivating corn plants resulting from said planting; permitting pollenfrom inbred line G3601 to cross pollinate another inbred line;harvesting seeds produced on plants of the inbred; and growing a plantfrom such a harvested seed.

[0016] The inbred corn line G3601 and at least one transgenic geneadapted to give G3601 additional and/or altered phenotypic traits arewithin the scope of the invention. Such transgenes are usuallyassociated with regulatory elements (promoters, enhancers, terminatorsand the like). Presently, trangenes provide the invention with traitssuch as insect resistance, herbicide resistance, disease resistanceincreased or deceased starch or sugars or oils, increased or decreasedlife cycle or other altered trait.

[0017] The present invention includes inbred corn line G3601 and atleast one transgenic gene adapted to give G3601 modified starch traits.Furthermore this invention includes the inbred corn line G3601 and atleast one mutant gene adapted to give modified starch, acid or oiltraits. The present invention includes the inbred corn line G3601 and atleast one transgenic gene selected from the group consisting of:bacillus thuringiensis, the bar or pat gene encoding Phosphinothricinacetyl Transferase, Gdha gene, EPSP synthase gene, low phytic acidproducing gene, and zein. The inbred corn line G3601 and at least onetransgenic gene useful as a selectable marker or a screenable marker arecovered by the present invention.

[0018] A tissue culture of the regenerable cells of hybrid plantsproduced with use of G3601 genetic material is covered by thisinvention. A tissue culture of the regenerable cells of the corn plantproduced by the method described above are also included.

DEFINITIONS

[0019] In the description and examples, which follow, a number of termsare used. In order to provide a clear and consistent understanding ofthe specifications and claims, including the scope to be given suchterms, the following definitions are provided.

[0020] BL Moist

[0021] The moisture percentage of the grain at black layer, i.e., when50% of the plants per plot have reached physiological maturity.

[0022] Cold Germ

[0023] Cold Germ is a measurement of seed germination under cold soilconditions. Data is reported as percent of seed germinating.

[0024] ECB

[0025] European corn borer is a maize eating insect. ECBI is the firstbrood generation of European corn borers. ECBII is the second generationof European corn borers.

[0026] Emerge (EMG)

[0027] The number of emerged plants per plot (planted at the sameseedling rate) collected when plants have two fully developed leaves.

[0028] GI

[0029] This is a selection index that provides a single quantitativemeasure of the worth of a hybrid based on four traits. F1 is a verysimilar index which weights yield less than GI. In GI yield is theprimary trait contributing to index values. The GI value is calculatedby combining stalk lodging, root lodging, yield and dropped earsaccording to the attached mathematical formula:

GI=100+0.5(YLD)−0.9(% STALK LODGE)−0.9(% ROOT LODGE)−2.7(% DROPPED EAR)

[0030] GLS

[0031] Gray Leaf Spot (Cercospora zeae) disease rating. This is rated ona 1-9 scale with a “1” being very susceptible, and a “9” being veryresistant.*

[0032] GW

[0033] Goss' Wilt (Corynebacterium nebraskense). This is rated on a 1-9scale with a “1” being very susceptible, and a “9” being veryresistant.*

[0034] HEATP10

[0035] The number of Growing Degree Units (GDU's) or heat units requiredfor an inbred line or hybrid to have approximately 10 percent of theplants shedding pollen. This trait is measured from the time ofplanting. Growing Degree Units are calculated by the Barger Method wherethe GDU's for a 24 hour period are:${GDU} = {\frac{\left( {{{Max}\quad {{Temp}\left( {}^{\circ}F \right)}} + {{Min}\quad {{Temp}\left( {}^{\circ}F \right)}}} \right)}{2} - 50}$

[0036] The highest maximum temperature used is 86° F. and the lowestminimum temperature used is 50° F. For each inbred or hybrid it takes acertain number of GDU's to reach various stages of plant development.

[0037] HEATBL

[0038] The number of GDU's after planting when approximately 50 percentof the inbred or hybrid plants in a plot have grain that has reachedphysiological maturity (black layer).

[0039] HEATPEEK

[0040] The number of GDU's after planting of an inbred whenapproximately 50 percent of the plants show visible tassel extension.

[0041] HEATP50 or HTP50

[0042] The number of GDU's required for an inbred or hybrid to haveapproximately 50 percent of the plants shedding pollen. Growing DegreeUnits are calculated by the Barger Method as shown in the HEATP10definition.

[0043] HEATP90

[0044] The number of GDU's accumulated from planting when the last 100percent of plants in an inbred or hybrid are still shedding enoughviable pollen for pollination to occur. Growing Degree Units arecalculated by the Barger Method as shown in the HEATP10 definition.

[0045] HEATS10

[0046] The number of GDU's required for an inbred or hybrid to haveapproximately 10 percent of the plants with silk emergence of at least0.5 inches. Growing Degree Units are calculated by the Barger Method asshown in the HEATP10 definition.

[0047] HEATS50 or HTS50

[0048] The number of GDU's required for an inbred or hybrid to haveapproximately 50 percent of the plants with silk emergence of at least0.5 inches. Growing Degree Units are calculated by the Barger Method asshown in the HEATP10 definition.

[0049] HEATS90

[0050] The number of GDU's required for an inbred or hybrid to haveapproximately 90 percent of the plants with silk emergence of at least0.5 inches. Growing Degree Units are calculated by the Barger Method asshown in the HEATP10 definition.

[0051] MDMV_(A)

[0052] Maize Dwarf Mosaic Virus strain A. The corn is rated on a 1-9scale with a “1” being very susceptible, and a “9” being veryresistant.*

[0053] MDMV_(B)

[0054] Maize Dwarf Mosaic Virus strain B. This is rated on a 1-9 scalewith a “1” being very susceptible and a “9” being very resistant.*

[0055] Moisture

[0056] The average percentage grain moisture of an inbred or hybrid atharvest time.

[0057] NLB

[0058] Northern Leaf Blight (Exserohilum turcicum) disease rating. Thisis rated on a 1-9 scale with a “1” being very susceptible, and a “9”being very resistant.*

[0059] PCT Tiller

[0060] The total number of tillers per plot divided by the total numberof plants per plot.

[0061] Plant

[0062] This term includes plant cells, plant protoplasts, plant celltissue cultures from which corn plants can be regenerated, plant calli,plant clumps, and plant cells that are intact in plants or parts ofplants, such as embryos, pollen, flowers, kernels, ears, cobs, leaves,husks, stalks, roots, root tips, anthers, silk and the like, and thisterm also includes any transgenic DNA or (RNA) or portion thereof thathave been introduced into the plant by whatever method.

[0063] Plant Height (PLTHT) (PHT)

[0064] The distance in centimeters from ground level to the base of thetassel peduncle.

[0065] Plant Integrity (PLTINT) or (INT)

[0066] The level of plant integrity on a scale of 1-9 with 9 evidencingthe trait most strongly: 1-2.9 ratings are low plant integrity, 3-5.9ratings are intermediate plant integrity, and 6-9 ratings are stronglyevidencing plant integrity.

[0067] Population (POP)

[0068] The plant population.

[0069] RM

[0070] Predicted relative maturity based on the moisture percentage ofthe grain at harvest. This rating is based on known set of checks andutilizes standard linear regression analyses and is referred to as theMinnesota Relative Maturity Rating System.

[0071] Shed

[0072] The volume of pollen shed by the male flower rated on a 1-9 scalewhere a “1” is a very light pollen shedder, a “4.5” is a moderateshedder, and a “9” is a very heavy shedder.

[0073] SLB

[0074] Southern Leaf Blight (Bipolaris maydis) disease rating. This israted on a 1-9 scale with a “1 ” being very susceptible, and a “9” beingvery resistant.*

[0075] Staygreen (SGN)

[0076] The level of staygreen of the plant on a scale of 1-9 with 9evidencing the trait most strongly: 1-2.9 ratings are low staygreen,3-5.9 ratings are intermediate staygreen, and 6-9 ratings are stronglyevidencing staygreen.

[0077] TWT

[0078] The measure of the weight of grain in pounds for a one bushelvolume adjusted for percent grain moisture.

[0079] Vigor (VIG)

[0080] Visual rating of 1 to 9 made 2-3 weeks post-emergence where a “1”indicates very poor early plant development, and a “9” indicatessuperior plant development.

[0081] Warm Germ

[0082] A measurement of seed germination under ideal (warm, moist)conditions. Data is reported as percent of seeds germinating.

[0083] Yield (YLD)

[0084] Actual yield of grain at harvest adjusted to 15.5% moisture.Measurements are reported in bushels per acre.

[0085] % Dropped Ears (DE)

[0086] The number of plants per plot, which dropped their primary ear,divided by the total number of plants per plot.

[0087] % LRG FLAT

[0088] Percentage by weight of shelled corn that passes through a{fraction (26/64)} inch round screen and a {fraction (14/64)} inch slotscreen, but does not pass through a screen with {fraction (20.5/64)}inch round openings.

[0089] % LRG Round

[0090] Percentage by weight of shelled corn that passes through a{fraction (26/64)} inch round screen, but does not pass through a{fraction (14/64)} inch slot screen or a screen with {fraction(20.5/64)} inch round openings.

[0091] % MED Flat

[0092] Percentage by weight of shelled corn that passes through a{fraction (20.5/64)} inch round screen and a {fraction (13/64)} inchslotted screen, but does not pass through a screen with {fraction(17/64)} inch round openings.

[0093] % MED Round

[0094] Percentage by weight of shelled corn that passes through a{fraction (20.5/64)} inch round screen, but does not pass through a{fraction (13/64)} inch slot screen or a screen with {fraction (17/64)}inch round openings.

[0095] % SML Flat

[0096] Percentage by weight of shelled corn that passes through a{fraction (17/64)} inch round screen and a {fraction (12/64)} inchslotted screen, but does not pass through a screen with {fraction(15/64)} inch round openings.

[0097] % SML Round

[0098] Percentage by weight of shelled corn that passes through a{fraction (17/64)} inch round screen, but does not pass through a{fraction (12/64)} inch slotted screen or a screen with {fraction(15/64)} inch round openings.

[0099] % Root Lodge (RL)

[0100] Percentage of plants per plot leaning more that 30 degrees fromvertical divided by total plants per plot.

[0101] % Stalk Lodge (SL)

[0102] Percentage of plants per plot with the stalk broken below theprimary ear node divided by the total plants per plot.

[0103] *Resistant—on a scale of 1-9 with 9 evidencing the trait moststrongly: 1-2.9 ratings are susceptible, 3-5.9 ratings are intermediate,and 6-9 ratings are resistant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0104] G3601 can be used as a female line. This inbred is useful as afemale because it has nice seed producing traits. Low moisture and goodyields with a large percentage of the seeds being medium sized flat orrounds.

[0105] The inbred has shown uniformity and stability within the limitsof environmental influence for all the traits as described in theVariety Description Information (Table 1) that follows.

[0106] The inbred has been self-pollinated for a sufficient number ofgenerations to give inbred uniformity. During plant selection in eachgeneration, the uniformity of plant type was selected to ensurehomozygosity and phenotypic stability. The line has been increased inisolated farmland environments with data on uniformity and agronomictraits being observed to assure uniformity and stability. No varianttraits have been observed or are expected in G3601.

[0107] The best method of producing the invention, G3601 which issubstantially homozygous, is by planting the seed of G3601 which issubstantially homozygous and self-pollinating or sib pollinating theresultant plant in an isolated environment, and harvesting the resultantseed. TABLE 1 G3601 VARIETY DESCRIPTION INFORMATION #1 Type: Dent #2Region Best Adapted: Broadly RM of 111-112. #3 Plant Traits Plant Height75 in. Ear Height 30 in. Tillers (Rating)  4 Leaf Color MEDIUM GREENBrace Root Color PURPLE Silk Color SALMON Shoots at Flowering LEAFY #4Tassel Traits Glume Color PURPLE Glume Ring Color WHITE Anther ColorPURPLE #5 Ear and Kernel Traits Cob Color WHITE Kernel Crown Color LIGHTYELLOW Kernel Body Color BRIGHT YELLOW #6 DISEASE RESISTANCE IN INBREDG3601 Eye Spot = 7.2 Gray leaf spot = 2.0 Gross wilt = 3. Northern leafblight = 4.6 #7 INSECT RESISTANCE IN INBRED ECB1 = 5.0 ECB2 = 4.41143Ear rate = 2.34375

[0108] #8 The comparable inbred to G3601 is ZS0560, an inbred having anumber of similarities. ZS0560 is an inbred which has been or ispresently in a number of commercial hybrids that are in a similar regionof adaptation as most of the hybrids formed with G3601.

[0109] The Munsell code is a reference book of color, which is known andused in the industry and by persons with ordinary skill in the art ofplant breeding.

[0110] The purity and homozygosity of inbred G3601 is constantly beingtracked using isozyme genotypes as shown in Table 2.

[0111] Isozyme Genotypes for G3601

[0112] Isozyme data were generated for inbred corn line G3601 accordingto procedures known and published in the art. The data in Table 2 givesthe electrophoresis data on G3601 as compared to its two parents. TABLE2 ELECTROPHORESIS RESULTS FOR G3601 INBRED ACP1 ACP4 ADH MDH1 MDH2 PGD1PGD2 PHI PGM IDH G3601 22 55 22 22 22 22 11 22 22 11

[0113] Inbred and Hybrid Performance of G3601

[0114] The traits and characteristics of inbred corn line G3601 arelisted to compare with other inbreds and/or in hybrid combination. TheG3601 data shows the characteristics and traits of importance, giving asnapshot of G3601 in these specific environments.

[0115] Table 3A shows a comparison between G3601 and a comparable inbredZS0560. G3601 has significantly better vigor than does inbred ZS0560.The two inbreds show significant differences in ear height, plantheight, and across almost all Heat measurements for pollination andsilking except heatpeek. G3601 has significantly higher yield at harvestthan does ZS0560 but has slightly higher moisture that is notsignificantly different. G3601 has significantly less medium round seedsand significantly more medium flat seeds than does ZS0560. TABLE 3AG3601 PCT PLANT EAR EAR PCT YEAR INBRED VIGOR EMERGE TILLER HEIGHTHEIGHT SHED QUALITY BARREN OVERALL G3601   6.1  93.6  174.4  72.5   4.9ZS0560   5.7  94.4  163.7  67.9   4.7 # EXPTS  30  42  36  34  31 DIFF  0.4   .8  10.7   4.6   0.1 PROB   0.006***   0.489   0.000***  0.002***   0.459 YEAR INBRED HEATP10 HEATP50 HEATP90 HEATS10 HEATS50HEATS90 OVERALL G3601 1456 1498 1623 1458 1499 1531 ZS0560 1476 15171632 1474 1512 1546 # EXPTS  40  40  25  40  40  30 DIFF  19  19   9  16 13  15 PROB   0.004***   0.002***   0.354   0.026**   0.021**   0.046**BL % ROOT % STALK % DROP YEAR INBRED HEATPEAK HEATBL MOIST LODGE LODGEEARS MOISTURE YIELD OVERALL G3601 1424 2640 12.3 75.3 ZS0560 1425 257712.1 70.8 # EXPTS  36   1 48 48 DIFF   1  63  0.2  4.5 PROB   0.833 0.351  0.022** WARM COLD % LRG % LRG % MED % MED % SML %SML YEAR INBREDGERM GERM ROUND FLAT ROUND FLAT ROUND FLAT OVERALL G3601  96.8  91.8 39.5  21.1 ZS0560  96.6  91.4  46.8  16.8 # EXPTS  30  30  25  25 DIFF  0.2   0.4   7.3   4.3 PROB   0.534   0.783   0.000***   0.000***

[0116] TABLE 3B G3601 % ROOT % STALK % DROP TEST YEAR HYBRID LODGE LODGEEARS WEIGHT MOISTURE YIELD GI OVERALL G3601 Hybrid  2.7  5.4  0.0  57.3 17.6 178.4 181.8 It CI Hybrid  2.8  7.7  0.0  57.5  18.5 173.6 177.5 #EXPTS 210 209 209 202 213 213 207 DIFF  0.1  2.3  0.0  0.2  0.9  4.8 4.4 PROB  0.903  0.000***  0.100*  0.140  0.000***  0.001***  0.000***YEAR HYBRID MATURITY VM FI OVERALL G3601 Hybrid  10.6 142 It CI Hybrid 9.9 135 # EXPTS 213 207 DIFF  0.7  6.5 PROB  0.000***  0.000***

[0117] Table 3 b shows the Inbred G3601 in hybrid combination with acommon inbred compared with another hybrid combination that includes thesame common inbred and another inbred which carries the IT® (imazethapyrtolerance trait). When in these hybrid combinations the present inbredcarries signficantly less tendency to stalk lodge, less moisture atharvest and significantly better yield than does the other hybrid. TheY/M for the hybrid combination containing the present invention issignificantly higher than is the comparison hybrids.

[0118] Table 4 shows the GCA (general combining ability) estimates ofG3601 compared with the GCA estimates of the other inbreds. Theestimates show the general combining ability is weighted by the numberof experiment/location combinations in which the specific hybridcombination occurs. The interpretation of the data for all traits isthat a positive comparison is a practical advantage. A negativecomparison is a practical disadvantage. The general combining ability ofan inbred is clearly evidenced by the results of the general combiningability estimates. This data compares the inbred parent in a number ofhybrid combinations to a group of “checks”. The check data is from othercompanies' hybrids, particularly the leader in the industry and GarstSeed Company's commercial products and pre-commercial hybrids, whichwere grown in the same sets and locations. TABLE 4 G3601 N FI Y/M GI YLDMST % SL % RL % DE TWT POP RM XT = 30 −0.6 −0.2 0.4 −0.2 −0.4 0.4 0.00.0  0.5 −111 111 ZS0560 XT = 60  0.2 −0.2 1.3 −1.6 −0.5 0.5 0.0 0.0−0.1 −209 109

[0119] Table 4 shows G3601 in XT crossed to different inbreds to form 30hybrid combinations. G3601 in hybrid combination shows an excellentadvantage for most agronomic traits like lodging and and testweight anda slight disadvantage for yield compared to the commercial checks andthe company's commercial inbreds. TABLE 5A YIELD RESPONSE Research PlotsHYBRID YIELD G3601/Inbred X 73 102 131 160 188 217 Environment 75 100125 150 175 200 Error: 14 # Plots 238

[0120] TABLE 5B YIELD RESPONSE Research Plots HYBRID YIELD ItInbred/Inbred X 64 94 124 154 185 215 Environment 75 100 125 150 175 200Error: 17.8 # Plots 3994

[0121] Table 5A shows the yield response of G3601 in hybrid combinationin comparison with the plants in the environment around it at the samelocation. The data for the present inbred is showing consistently betterresults than the data of the comparison hybrid especially at the highestenvironment level. G3601 in hybrid combination, is a racehorse inbredthat works well in high yielding environments but which still providesyields better than the environment in low yielding environments. Table5b shows the data from a different hybrid that was formed with the sameinbred X. This comparison hybrid is herbicide resistant and does notyield extremely well particularly in the low environments but it isachieving its yield potential in higher yielding environments. Howeverthe present invention in hybrid combination is carrying more yield.

[0122] The foregoing is set forth by way of example and is not intendedto limit the scope of the invention.

[0123] This invention also is directed to methods for producing a cornplant by crossing a first parent corn plant with a second parent cornplant wherein the first or second parent corn plant is an inbred cornplant from the line G3601. Further, both first and second parent cornplants can come from the inbred corn line G3601. A variety of breedingmethods can be selected depending on the mode of reproduction, thetrait, the condition of the germplasm. Thus, any such methods using theinbred corn line G3601 are part of this invention: selfing, backcrosses,hybrid production, crosses to populations, haploid by such old and knownmethods of using stock material that induces haploids and antherculturing and the like. Additionally, this maize can, within the scopeof the invention, contain: a mutant gene such as but not limited tosugary 1 or shrunken 1 or waxy or AE or imazethapyr tolerant (IT or IR™)mutant gene; or transgenic genes such as but not limited to insectresistant genes such as Bacillus thuringiensis (Cry genes), or herbicideresistant genes such as Pat gene or Bar gene, EPSP, or disease resistantgenes such as the Mosaic virus resistant gene, etc., or trait alteringgenes such as flowering genes, oil modifying genes, senescence genes andthe like.

[0124] Various culturing techniques known to those skilled in the art,such as haploid, (stock six is a method that has been in use for twentyyears and is well known to those with skill in the art), transformation,and a host of other conventional and unconventional methods are withinthe scope of the invention. All plants and plant cells produced usingthe inbred corn line are within the scope of this invention. The termtransgenic plant refers to plants having genetic sequences, which areintroduced into the genome of a plant by a transformation method and theprogeny thereof.

[0125] Transformation Methods—are means for integrating new geneticcoding sequences into the plant's genome by the incorporation of thesesequences into a plant through man's assistance.

[0126] Though there are a large number of known methods to transformplants, certain types of plants are more amenable to transformation thanare others.

[0127] Tobacco is a readily transformable plant. The basic steps oftransforming plants including monocots are known in the art. These stepsare concisely outlined in U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,956 “Fertile TransgenicZea mays Plants Comprising Heterologous DNA Encoding BacillusThuringiensis Endotoxin” issued Jan. 16, 1996 and U.S. Pat. No.5,489,520 “Process of Producing Fertile Zea mays Plants and ProgenyComprising a Gene Encoding Phosphinothricin Acetyl Transferase” issuedFeb. 6, 1996.

[0128] Plant cells such as maize can be transformed by a number ofdifferent techniques. Some of these techniques which have been reportedon and are known in the art include maize pollen transformation (SeeUniversity of Toledo 1993 U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,010); Biolistic guntechnology (See U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,956); Whiskers technology (See U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,464,765 and 5,302,523); Electroporation; PEG on Maize;Agrobacterium (See 1996 article on transformation of maize cells inNature Biotechnology, Volume 14, June 1996) along with numerous othermethods which may have slightly lower efficiency rates then thoselisted. Some of these methods require specific types of cells and othermethods can be practiced on any number of cell types.

[0129] The use of pollen, cotyledons, meristems and ovum as the targetissue can eliminate the need for extensive tissue culture work. However,the present state of the technology does not provide very efficient useof this material.

[0130] Generally, cells derived from meristematic tissue are useful.Zygotic embryos can also be used. Additionally, the method oftransformation of meristematic cells of cereal is also taught in the PCTapplication WO96/04392. Any of the various cell lines, tissues, plantsand plant parts can and have been transformed by those having knowledgein the art. Methods of preparing callus from various plants are wellknown in the art and specific methods are detailed in patents andreferences used by those skilled in the art. Cultures can be initiatedfrom most of the above-identified tissue. The only true requirement ofthe transforming material is that it can form a transformed plant. Thetransgenic gene can come from various non-plant genes (such as;bacteria, yeast, animals, and viruses) along with being from animal orplants.

[0131] The DNA used for transformation of these plants clearly may becircular, linear, and double or single stranded. Usually, the DNA is inthe form of a plasmid. The plasmid usually contains regulatory and/ortargeting sequences which assists the expression of the gene in theplant. The methods of forming plasmids for transformation are known inthe art. Plasmid components can include such items as: leader sequences,transit polypeptides, promoters, terminators, genes, introns, markergenes, etc. The structures of the gene orientations can be sense,antisense, partial antisense, or partial sense: multiple gene copies canbe used.

[0132] The regulatory promoters employed can be constitutive such asCaMv35S (usually for dicots) and polyubiquitin for monocots or tissuespecific promoters such as CAB promoters, etc. The prior art includesbut is not limited to octopine synthase, nopaline synthase, CaMv19S,mannopine synthase promoters. These regulatory sequences can be combinedwith introns, terminators, enhancers, leader sequences and the like inthe material used for transformation.

[0133] The isolated DNA is then transformed into the plant. Many dicotscan easily be transformed with Agrobacterium. Some monocots are moredifficult to transform. As previously noted, there are a number ofuseful transformation processes. The improvements in transformationtechnology are beginning to eliminate the need to regenerate plants fromcells. Since 1986, the transformation of pollen has been published andrecently the transformation of plant meristems has been published. Thetransformation of ovum, pollen, and seedlings meristem greatly reducethe difficulties associated with cell regeneration of different plantsor genotypes within a plant can present. Duncan, from at least 1985-1988produced literature on plant regeneration from callus. Both inbred andhybrid callus have resulted in regenerated plants. Somatic embryogenesishas been performed on various maize tissues, which was once consideredunusable for this purpose. The prior art clearly teaches theregeneration of plants from various maize tissues.

[0134] The most common method of transformation is referred to asgunning or microprojectile bombardment. This Biolistic process has smallgold-coated particles coated with DNA shot into the transformablematerial. Techniques for gunning DNA into cells, tissue, callus,embryos, and the like are well known in the prior art.

[0135] After the transformation of the plant material is complete, thenext step is identifying the cells or material, which has beentransformed. In some cases, a screenable marker is employed such as thebeta-glucuronidase gene of the uidA locus of E. coli. Then, thetransformed cells expressing the colored protein are selected for eitherregeneration or further use. In many cases, a selectable markeridentifies the transformed material. The putatively transformed materialis exposed to a toxic agent at varying concentrations. The cells nottransformed with the selectable marker, which provides resistance tothis toxic agent, die. Cells or tissues containing the resistantselectable marker generally proliferate. It has been noted that althoughselectable markers protect the cells from some of the toxic affects ofthe herbicide or antibiotic, the cells may still be slightly effected bythe toxic agent by having slower growth rates. If the transformedmaterial was cell lines then these lines are regenerated into plants.The cells' lines are treated to induce tissue differentiation. Methodsof regeneration of cellular maize material are well known in the artsince early 1982. European Patent Application, publication 160,390,describes tissue culture of corn, which can be used by those skilled inthe art. The plants from the transformation process or the plantsresulting form a cross using a transformed line or the progeny of suchplants are transgenic plants.

[0136] Various techniques known to those skilled in the art, such ashaploid, transformation, and a host of other conventional andunconventional methods are within the scope of the invention. All plantsand plant cells produced using inbred corn line G3601 are within thescope of this invention. The invention encompasses the inbred corn lineused in crosses with other, different, corn inbreds to produce (F1) cornhybrid seeds and hybrid plants. This invention includes cells, whichupon growth and differentiation produce corn plants having thephysiological and morphological characteristics of the inbred lineG3601.

[0137] A deposit of at least 2500 seeds of this invention will bemaintained by Garst Seed Company, 2369 330th Street, Slater, Iowa 50244.Access to this deposit will be available during the pendency of thisapplication to the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks and personsdetermined by the Commissioner to be entitled thereto upon request. Allrestrictions on availability to the public of such material will beremoved upon issuance of a granted patent of this application bydepositing at least 2500 seeds of this invention at the American TypeCulture Collection. The deposit of at least 2500 seeds will be from thesame inbred seed taken from the deposit maintained by Garst SeedCompany. The ATCC deposit will be maintained in that depository, whichis a public depository, for a period of 30 years, or 5 years after thelast request, or for the effective life of the patent, whichever islonger, and will be replaced if it becomes nonviable during that period.

[0138] Additional public information on some ZS designations may beavailable from the PVP office a division of the US government.

[0139] Accordingly, the present invention has been described with somedegree of particularity directed to the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention. It should be appreciated, though, that the presentinvention is defined by the following claims construed in light of theprior art so that modifications or changes may be made to the preferredembodiment of the present invention without departing from the inventiveconcepts contained herein.

We claim:
 1. Inbred corn seed designated G3601, samples of seed havebeen deposited in the ATCC accession number X.
 2. A corn plant producedby the seed of claim
 1. 3. A tissue culture of regenerable cells ofG3601 of claim 1 wherein the cells of the tissue culture regeneratesplants capable of expressing the all of the physiological andmorphological characteristics of G3601.
 4. A tissue culture ofregenerable cells according to claim 3, the cells or protoplasts of thetissue selected from the group consisting of leaves, pollen, embryos,roots, root tips, meristem, ovule anthers, silk, flowers, kernels, ears,cobs, husks and stalks, and cells and protoplasts thereof.
 5. A cornplant capable of expressing all of the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of G3601 regenerated from the cells of the tissueculture of claim
 3. 6. Hybrid seed produced by the method comprising thefollowing steps: (a) planting, in pollinating proximity, seeds of corninbred lines G3601 which has been deposited in the ATCC accession numberX and another inbred line, one of said inbred lines not releasingpollen; (b) cultivating corn plants resulting from said planting; (c)allowing pollination to occur between said inbred lines; and (d)harvesting seeds produced on the non-pollen releasing inbred.
 7. Hybridseed produced by the method comprising at least one ancestor being theinbred plant designated G3601 in claim 2 crossing in a hybridcombination with a plant of another inbred line, and producing hybridseed therefrom.
 8. Hybrid plants grown from seed of claim
 7. 9. A firstgeneration (F1) hybrid corn plant produced by using G3601 which has beendeposited in the ATCC accession number X the process of: (a) planting,in pollinating proximity, seeds of corn inbred lines G3601 and anotherinbred line; (b) cultivating corn plants resulting from said planting;(c) preventing pollen production by the plants of one of the inbredlines this being the seed producing plant; (d) allowing naturalcross-pollination to occur between said inbred lines; (e) harvestingseeds produced on the seed producing plants of the inbred line of step(c); and (e) growing a harvested seed of step (e).
 10. A tissue cultureof the regenerable cells of the corn plant of claim
 8. 11. A tissueculture of the regenerable cells of the corn plant of claim
 9. 12. Aplant according to claim 2, including in the plant at least onetransgene.
 13. A seed according to claim 1, including at least onetransgene.
 14. Hybrid seed comprising at least one transgene capable ofbeing identified, said seed produced by hybrid combination of plants ofinbred corn seed designated G3601 in claim 13 and plants of anotherinbred line.
 15. A plant according to claim 2, including in the plant atleast one mutant gene.
 16. A seed according to claim 1, including atleast one mutant gene.
 17. Hybrid seed comprising at least one mutantgene said seed produced by hybrid combination of plants of inbred cornseed designated G3601 in claim 16 and plants of another inbred line. 18.A method of identifying the seed according to claim 1, the stepscomprising: planting hybrid seed, selecting plants from the plantingthat appear less robust than the other plants, self-pollinating theselected plant and harvesting the seed therefrom, using the seed and itsprogeny.